“Yeah, that sounds good.”
The bench was in the shade of the barn and offered some respite from the sun.
She sat on the bench but he remained standing, leaning against the nearby split-rail fence.
“Do you know what happened before I came here?”she asked after several minutes of silence had passed.
“Not really.The alphas said you were in danger from an alpha jaguar and the park wasn’t safe for you anymore.”
She looked beyond him to the pasture where the cows grazed, her eyes unfocusing for a moment.“Alpha Warren decided to step down and let his second-in-command, Dario, take over a few weeks ago.Our prowl wasn’t large, maybe thirty or so, and we lived in what had been a human campground in Shadow Rock, Tennessee.I lived with my mom and my best friend, Sunny, who my mom took in when her parents were killed by her dad’s tiger pride because he’d mated with a human and had a hybrid child.”
“Damn.”
Her mouth quirked at the corner.“One of the first things Dario did when he took control was kick Sunny out.Mom knew about the safari park and sent her there, and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because her soulmate, Seneca, was at the park.There was another alpha of a nearby prowl—Otto.He had apparently always wanted to take over Shadow Rock, and saw Dario being new in power as a good time to take him out.Then Dario made a deal with Otto to save his own neck.He promised me to Otto, bartered me like livestock so Otto wouldn’t kill him and take over the prowl and combine it with his own.”
Avi’s stallion surged under his skin with a furious whinny.He breathed through the desire to shift and run down the males who tried to force Fallon into an arranged mating.
“I fled to the park.My mom wouldn’t come with me and I hated leaving her behind, but I had to get away.Then the attacks happened.Dario sent his enforcers to try to find me, then he tried to force the park alphas to give me up.Finally, he went after Sunny and her mate in the park, and Dario died during the battle.”
“Good.”
She snorted.
He grinned.“I’m sorry, but I’m glad Dario’s dead.Assholes like him shouldn’t put other people in danger to save themselves.”
“No one knew if Otto was aware I was at the park, until flowers showed up there yesterday from him for me.So they smuggled me out and brought me here.”
She lifted her gaze and stared at him intently.
His jaw locked.Every instinct within him wanted to find this Otto and beat him within an inch of his life so that he never thought about Fallon ever again.
“No wonder you didn’t sleep well last night.That’s a lot for anyone to deal with.”He joined her on the bench, shoulders touching slightly.
“I was scared when I came here, but then I saw you.”She turned toward him, eyes wide, emotion clear on her face.“I know what we are.”
His heart pounded in his chest.
“I feel it,” she said, rubbing her fingers over her sternum.“The moment you stepped out of the barn last night, it was like getting struck by lightning.But I’m scared.”
“Of what?”he murmured.
“That I’m too broken with too much baggage.Someone is literally trying to force me to mate him, and I might never really be free of that cloud hanging over me.I don’t know how to be your mate when I feel like I’m still on the run.”
Her words flayed him alive.
He took her trembling hands in both of his.“I knew what you were when you got here too, but I didn’t want to rush you, and I still don’t.I believe you’re safe here.The park shifters were certain no one followed them, and we have tons of security systems in place.But the only thing that will make you feel safe, I think, is time.”
Her chin wobbled and her eyes brightened with tears.
She leaned forward and he pulled her close, holding her tightly as she cried.
“I’ve got you, Fallon.You’re mine and I’m yours, and we’ll deal with whatever comes on our terms.There’s no rush for anything; we’re just two shifters who’ve found their other half and that’s the only thing that matters.I’ll keep you safe, sweetheart.I swear on my life.”
She squeezed her arms around him tightly.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve a sweet male like you, Avi, but I’m glad I found you.”
“I’m glad I found you too.”
